Daniel VanBibber

     Daniel VanBibber was born on 26 February 1913. He was the son of Ira VanBibber and Eliza Jackson. Daniel VanBibber married Eileen McDonald circa 1936. Daniel VanBibber died on 10 October 2002 at age 89 years, 7 months and 14 days.
     He From Gary R. Hawpe, ed. and Ruby VanBibber, comp., 'Daniel VanBibber's Eulogy,' Van Bibber Pioneers E-Newsletter, Vol. 6 No. 1 (November 2002), pp. 9 - 10.

DANIEL VAN BIBBER'S EULOGY

Daniel Van Bibber was born February 26th, 1913 at Ta Tla Mun. He was the second son and fourth child of Eliza and Ira Van Bibber.

Dan lived his early years at Ta Tla Mun, Sheep Mountain in the McArthur Mountains and Mica Creek. The family traveled to where there was good hunting or fishing. In 1914, Dan s father built the first home at Mica Creek that would become the homestead for the large Van Bibber family. Dan learned, like all his brothers and sisters, how to live off the land from a very young age. While living at Ta'Tla Mun, he and his older brother Abe, helped their father with the fishing, and they trapped mink and weasels close by the cabin. Dan was five and Abe a year older.

Dan attended boarding school in Dawson City for several years. He enjoyed his school years and was glad that Bishop Stringer talked his dad into sending the kids to school. They traveled down to Dawson on the river. Sometimes, the Van Bibber children would raft down from Pelly to Dawson. Once, there, they would sell the wood for their spending money. Ira s logic was that there was no point in paying the steamboat fare, when the river was going that way. When the mail came, the Van Bibber children would gather all together and May would read the letters from home. Dan met other children from around the north at school and became familiar with the old timers of Dawson. A favorite past time for young Daniel was to listen to the stories of the old timers sitting in front of the Yukon hotel.

At 15 years old, Dan left school and began trapping. He trapped alone that first winter, with his brother Abe trapping another line. He looked up to his brother who he said, handled the bush life like an old timer.

In Dan s trapping career, he covered a big part of the Yukon on foot or dogsled or by boat. He trapped and hunted throughout the Selkirk traditional territory as well the traditional territories of the Vuntut Gwichen, Tr ondek Hwechin, and Kaska. All the brothers trapped the McArthur area and then Dan spent a number of years up in the Porcupine and Nation River area. He trapped alone or with his brothers. Archie and Alex went in the first year, then Archie, Dan and JJ. One year, Archie and Dan killed a big grizzly, whose head was nearly as wide as Dan s shoulders. Pat and George also trapped with Dan the Nation River area. During those years in the bush, Dan had many adventures and had many close calls. Breaking trail ahead of the dogs, coming through mountain passes with only the wind in their faces to guide the way, making camp when it was 60 below, rafting down swollen rivers in the spring. There are many here today, that can tell a story or two about Dan s adventures.

Dan was dedicated to his family. And he was a friend to be counted on. He worked hard to make sure his parents and younger siblings were taken care of. He first provided for them, before leaving to join the army.

Dan joined the army in 1944 and was drafted overseas. His brothers Archie and Alex also joined the army. He went to Germany, Belgium and Holland. He signed up for the South Pacific and although he did not get drafted to there, he was on the first draft back from overseas. He landed in New York harbor and watched from the ship as New Yorkers celebrated the return of the soldiers.

After the war, Dan went back to trapping for a number of years before working for wages. Him, JJ, Pat and George tried their hand at running a sawmill but the price of wood was not so good. They all left to work on the highways. They first worked for Keno Hill until the government took over the roads. Dan worked the highways from early 1950 s, until he retired at age 65. He worked as foreman at Stewart Crossing than at Ross River and Tuchitua.

Dan married Eileen MacDonald from Watson Lake and they had two sons, Abe and Bobby. Dan and his family lived in the Watson Lake and Ross River area for many years. They spent much of their spare time in the bush. Eileen shared Dan s love of the bush. They had a cabin at 89 Mile, hunting and trapping around Francis Lake and the Tungsten Range. In recent years, Abe s twin girls Danielle and Ta`hyah gave Dan his biggest pleasure. Any mention of the girls and Dan would just light right up. The girls in turn loved their grandpa and they had great fun together.

After Dan retired, he returned home to Mica Creek. He worked for Selkirk First Nation on economic development, housing maintenance and on land claim negotiation. He served on many boards and committees including as a founding member of Dena Naye Ventures and Yukon Indian Development Corporation. Dan was one of the signatories of the Selkirk First Nation Final Agreement.

Dan always lived by the old laws of respect and responsibility. He always set a good example. Dan leaves behind his boys, Abe and Bobby, his granddaughters, Danielle and Ta`hyah. The Van Bibber family: May, Archie, Alex and Sue, JJ and Clara, Pat and Ada, Kathleen and Bob, Lucy, Linch and Bob and sister-in-law Maria. The MacDonald family: Eileen, Lucy and Jimmy, Linda, Janet, John, Peter, Anne Marie and Eddie. And many nieces and nephews and grandnieces and nephews. And so very many friends.

Note: Daniel died on October 10, 2002.